FAQ
Questions about keys, fobs, and programming
Costs, timing, what to have ready, and how key programming actually works. Several answers cover fixes you can do yourself, like a fob battery or a bound steering lock.
Pricing & payment
Why can't you give me an exact price before you see the car?
Not blind, no — but with your VIN, usually yes. Year, make, model and VIN identify the exact key type and programming path, which is enough for a firm number over the phone. A 2012 Corolla and a 2022 Range Rover are different jobs by an order of magnitude, so we need those details first.
Do you charge a call-out fee if I decide not to go ahead?
We explain the total price and any service-call or cancellation fee before dispatch. If the work differs from what was described, we explain any price change and ask for approval before proceeding.
How do you take payment?
Card, contactless, or cash, at the vehicle after the work is done and tested. No payment up front, and no deposits for standard work.
Is a locksmith really cheaper than the dealership?
For key and programming work, usually yes, and the savings are typically 30 to 50 percent before you count the tow. A vehicle with no working keys can't be driven to a dealer, so that route means a tow bill plus a service appointment that might be days out. A few cases still call for the dealer — a very recent model with programming locked to the manufacturer — and that gets flagged on the phone before you pay to find out the hard way.
Do you offer discounts for more than one key?
Yes. Programming a second key during the same visit is a lot cheaper than a separate call, because the programming session is already open. If you want two, get them together.
Timing & availability
How long will the job take once you're there?
A lockout is usually under five minutes. Adding a spare key is 15 to 30 minutes. All-keys-lost on a domestic or Asian vehicle is 45 to 90 minutes. European all-keys-lost is two to three hours. Module and ECU work runs one to three hours depending on access.
Do you work weekends?
Yes. Saturday daytime is the standard rate. Sunday, overnight, and major holidays carry a surcharge, quoted before the van is dispatched.
Can you schedule an appointment instead of an emergency call?
Yes, and it's cheaper. Scheduled work, like a spare key or a planned fob replacement, allows calls to be grouped efficiently, and that saving goes to you. If your need isn't urgent, ask about a scheduled slot.
Vehicles & capability
What vehicles can't you do?
A handful of very recent models still have no aftermarket programming access at all — dealer-only until that changes. Say the year and model on the phone and you'll know right away, before any van heads out. Motorcycle keys and heavy commercial equipment are also outside the scope.
Can you program a key for a car that's been in a flood or fire?
Sometimes, but water and heat damage often corrupt module memory, and a module that won't communicate can't be read. It can be assessed, and the odds get stated plainly before you spend money.
Do you work on Teslas?
Only in a limited way, and it is worth being straight about that. Tesla key cards are paired by the owner through the car's own touchscreen in about a minute. There's no reason to pay anyone for that, and a phone call will walk you through it at no charge. Where EVs do need a locksmith is lockouts, and proximity fobs on EVs from conventional manufacturers.
Will programming a key void my warranty?
No. Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, a manufacturer can't void your warranty just because independent service was performed. Correctly executed key programming doesn't affect factory coverage.
Security & verification
What proof of ownership do you need?
Photo ID that matches the name on the vehicle registration, title, or a current insurance card. If the vehicle is registered to a company, a spouse, or a family member, written authorization from the registered owner is required. That isn't bureaucracy. It's the reason nobody else can call about your car.
Someone else has a key to my used car. Can you stop that?
Yes, and you should. When a new key is programmed, all previously issued keys can be erased from the vehicle's memory, so any key held by a previous owner, a valet, or a dealership stops working immediately. It takes minutes during a visit you're already having.
Can I have someone else meet you at the car?
Only with written authorization from the registered owner, and they'll still need to show their own photo ID. A text from you saying it's fine isn't enough. It has to be something that can be kept on file.
Before you call
My key won't turn in the ignition. Is there something I should try first?
Yes, and it's free. If the steering wheel is under tension against the steering lock, the cylinder physically cannot turn. Put firm pressure on the wheel left and right while gently turning the key. If that frees it, your ignition is fine and you've saved a call-out.
My fob stopped working. Is it worth trying anything?
Replace the coin cell first. It's a few dollars and it's the cause more often than anything else. If the car still detects the fob for push-button start but the buttons do nothing, that points at the button pad rather than the transmitter, which is a repair rather than a replacement.
My key broke off in the lock. Should I try to get it out?
Please don't. Superglue bonds the fragment to the wafers and turns a 20-minute extraction into a cylinder replacement. Pliers push it deeper and bend wafers. If enough is sticking out to grip with your fingers, pull it straight out gently. Otherwise leave it and call.
What information should I have ready when I call?
Year, make, model, and the VIN if you can get to it. It's visible through the windshield on the driver's side, on the door jamb sticker, and on your insurance card. Also useful: whether you have any working keys, whether the car starts, and exactly where it's parked.
Car keys · Fobs · Lockouts
Question not answered here?
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